How Long Has This Been Going On? (1995)

Ralph Salmins says:

“It’s great to record with Van - you’re making history. Guy Barker introduced me to Georgie Fame - who I played with - and Van asked Georgie to put a jazz band together.

“I’d met Van because he came down to Ronnie Scott’s when I was playing with blues shouter Irene Reid. He loved the gig and invited me up to his table. So I was quite unfazed recording the first album. Pee-Wee Ellis (of James Brown fame) did the arrangements and we recorded it on the stage at Ronnie’s one afternoon - like a live album but with no audience.”

“There’s a fast version of Moondance, and I’d also pick Your Mind Is On Vacation..., a Mose Allison song, quite fast and funky. I played an old Gretsch jazz kit, 20", 12", 14" with a 1958 14"x5 1/2" Silver Sparkle Leedy and Ludwig snare with ‘stick chopper’ hoops - nice and lively.”